Unchanging

It seems that lately everything I have been reading and hearing in my devotionals, in church, and in conversations has had to do with God's love for us. Most of us who were raised in church have been taught that God loves us, but do we truly comprehend just how great and amazing His love for us is?  We are human, with emotions that ebb and flow based on how we are feeling about ourselves, our lives, and how things are going at any given moment, and we tend to view God and His feelings toward us based on our own experiences and emotions.  Some days, when we are feeling great, we feel as if our love for God is a 10/10.  Then we have a bad day, and may feel that our love is only at a 7/10.   Then we begin to believe that His love and feelings work the same way. "I yelled at my husband and kicked the dog today, so God couldn't possibly love me as much right now."   My dear friends, we could not be more wrong in our assessment of Him!   He loves us with all His heart, soul, mind and strength! His love for us never, ever changes. No matter what.  He calls us "Beloved." His love for us is unchanging. If we could only wrap our small human minds around that fact, it would settle so many things in us!  I heard a minister say "Keep your eyes fixed on what is unchanging (God's love for you!) and He will settle you."  I find that to be so true! When I focus on my failing and fluctuating love and devotion to Him, I struggle with guilt and shame, but when I focus on the fact that He loves me the same no matter where I am in my walk with Him, it settles something deep inside me, and frees me to love Him with abandon and to share that love with others. 

We love Him because He first loved us!